Self-adjusting collar button



R. A. NEILSON El' AL SELF ADJUSTING COLLAR BUTTON Jan. 29, 1929.

Fiied Jan. 21.-.1927

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Patented Jan. 29, 1929.

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE.

ROBERT A. NEILSON AND ARTHUR H. WATSON, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS; SAID WATSON ASSIGNOR TOv SAID NEILSON.

SELF-ADJUSTING COLLAR BUTTON.

Application filed January 21, 1927. Serial No. 162,444.

Our invention relates to improvements in self-adjusting collar buttons, particularly to that type of button in which means are provided for tightly compressing the superimposed aps of the collar and collar band at the buttonhole.

An object of our invention'is to provide a collar but-ton of the character described which is inserted through. the buttonholes of the collar band and collar in precisely the same manner as the ordinary type of rigid collar button and which incorporates automatic means for drawing the head toward the rear plate of the button so as to yieldingly compress the superimposed pore tions of the band and collar.

A further object of our invention is to provide a collar button of the character described, in which the rear face plate of the button is constantly held into close engagement with the adjacent surface of the collar band so as to obviate the possibility of irritation to the neck of the wearer as by unnecessary protrusion of this portion of the button from the collar band.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view along the line 2 2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view of a portion broken away of a modification of the invention.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view along the line 1 -4 of Fig. 8.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modifiedform of the spring and head element; and

Fig. 6 is a sectional view showing another modified form of the invention.

In carrying out our invention, we make use of a tubular pillar 1 terminating at its base in a conical portion 2, as shown in Fig. 1. This part corresponds to the neck and upper base portion of the ordinary type ofy collar button. A mushroom head member 3 is provided and formed with an annular recess 4 for receiving the upper end of the pillar 1. The head 3 has a depending shank 5 which extends to a point in registration with the plane of the base of the collar button when fully restricted, as illustrated.

The lower end of the pillar has a reduced portion 6 which is projected through a central opening 7 in a steel band spring 8. This reduced portion is turned over by a riveting process, as shownat 9, to securely fix the spring to the shank.

The peripheral edges of the conical portion 2 are turned downwardly, as shown at 10, and extend for a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the spring 8.

A rear face plate 11 conforming in contour to the spring 8 presenting a convex surface at the back, is provided to close the base portion 2 and its edges are turned over at 12 to lirmly fix the plate to the base 2 of the pillar. It is obvious, therefore, that the spring 8 is capable of sliding between the base part 2 and the plate 11 as the shank 5 is elevated or extended from the pillar 1.

7e preferably set the spring 8, when it is tempered, so that it bears a greater degree of curvature than is shown in Fig. 1. Thus, when the elements are in the position shown in the figure, there is yielding downward pressure exerted upon the shank and head by the spring to maintain the head in close engagement with the upper end 4 of the i lar.

p In operation, the collar button is inserted through the buttonholcs of the collar band and collar in substantially the same manner as the ordinary type of collar button, but as the head progresses through the buttonholes, it is extended away from the base against the action of the spring 8 so that when the head'is passed through the last of the buttonholes, namely, one of the flaps of the collar, it will bear closely against the adjacent surface of the collar so as to compress all of the superimposed port-ions of the band and collar tightly together.

This condition consequently causes the base portion 2 of the pillar to closely engage the adjacent surface of the collar band and thus bring the inner face plate of the button as closely as possible to the band and thus obviate the disadvantage of t-he pressure of the plate against the neck of the wearer', as is usually the case in the ordinary type of collar button due to the absence of such means as we have provided for drawing the head and base closely to the band and collaiu In Fig. 3, we have shown a modification of the structure illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2, which differs therefrom in the provision of a substantially rectangular pillar portion 1a.

AIn this embodiment the shank is also rectangular in cross section, as shown in 5a. The lower` end o'i' the shank has a slot 13 therethrough, through which the spring 8 is projected. In this form ot the invention the fillet 14, which corresponds to the conical portion 2 of the preferred `form, has its greatest curvature on but two sides of the rectangular pillar 11. We have thus minimized the portion of the pillar occupied by the spring 8 when the shank 5 and head 3 are extended.

In Fig. 5 is shown a still further modification of the invention. This form contem plates the use of a spiral tension spring having a diameter equal to the diameter of' the'peripheral portion of the conical base part 2. rIhe spring 15'is closely clamped between the base portion 2 and the rear face plate 11, thus eliminating` the provision of the downwardly extending flange 1() used in the preferred form, and the spring is securely xed against movement at its outer part. The inner end of the spring 16 is straight and is arranged for disposition in a bore 17 extending transversely through the lower end of the shank 5. In all other respects this 'form is constructed and operates similarly to the first embodiment of the invention described.

In Fig. 6, we have shown a still Jfurther modification of the invention, in which means is provided for maintaining the head in an extended or protracted position. The essential part-s consist of a head 3 with a shank 5, and a pillar 1 having a convex base portion 2a. Portion 2a is rolled over at its peripheral edges 18 and clamps therebetween the peripheral edge 19 of a tempered disc 20. The interior portion of' the disc 20 withinthe bounds of the portion 19 is convex, as shown in 6, and normally yieldingly holds the head 3 and shank 5 in the position shown in the figure, the lower end of the shank being riveted at 9 to the disc 20 in the same manner as employed for the spring 8.

hen it is desired to extend the head 3 for the purpose or' projecting the head through the buttonholes of the collar band and collar, the disc 20 is pressed inwardly so as to snap past its center, i. e., the plane of the portion 19, and thus assume a position shown in dotted lines. The head is thus held in extended position. i

After the collar button has been properly inserted in the band and collar flaps, the head is pressed inwardly to compress the collar and band portions and to cause the disc 2O to snap beyond its center and reassume the position shown in Fig. 6.

Having thus described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States, is

1. A collar button of the character described, comprising a base member including an upright tubular pillar, a head member formed with a longitudinally extending shank, said shank being slidably disposed in said tubular pillar', said head member being greater in diameter than the external diameter of said pillar whereby the inner tace of the head may engage with garmentV portions surrounding said pillar, and a spring in said base member attached at its midpoint to said shank and having its ends slidably supported within the base member.

2. A collar button `of the character described, comprising a base member including an upright tubular ypillar portion, a head having a longitudinally extending shank, said head being recessed adjacent to and concentric with the butt of said shank to receive the upper portion of thetubular pillar when the head bears thereagainst, said head member being greater in diameter than the external diameter of said pillar whereby the inner face of the head may engage with garment portions surrounding'said pillar, and means for yieldably urging the headl toward said base member. 3. A collar button of the character described comprising a hollow base member having an upright tubular pillar, a head member formed with a longitudinally extending shank, said shank being slidably disposed in said tubular pillar, said head being greater in diameter than the external diameter of said pillar and a flat band spring secured' intermediate its length to the inner end of said shank and exerting tension'on said shank tending to draw the head toward the base portion, the opposite ends of said spring being slidably supported in said hollow base member and said base member being formed at its juncture with 'the pillar member so as to permit maximum {iexing of said band as in the projectile movement of the head.

In witness whereof, we hereunto subscribe lour names this 18th day of January, 1927.

ROBERTA. NEILSON. ARTHUR H. WATSGN. 

